The term “fatigue” refers to the incapability of a body to keep its' physiological functions working at a certain level and/or the incapability of organs (e.g., heart) to keep their original working abilities, and thus, result in decreased athletic ability and decreased physical strength. However, exposure to excessive stresses or excessive works for a long time may inhibit the body from getting adequate rest, and thus, cannot eliminate the feeling of fatigue or tiredness. The feeling of fatigue or tiredness is a warning of the body, and such feeling can be eliminated by getting rest in general. However, exposure to a condition of excessive stresses or excessive works for a long time may inhibit the body from getting adequate rest, and thus, may cause a severe feeling of body fatigue, occurrence of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) such as swollen lymph nodes, slight fever, headache, muscle soreness, joint aches, decreased thinking ability, reduced concentration, and somnipathy. When serious, it may result in myocardial weakness and decreased cardiac function, and even may cause an accident and endanger one's life. Therefore, there is a necessity for continuously developing an effective method or drug for anti-fatigue to reduce the social costs for the injuries and diseases caused by fatigue.
Herba Cistanche was firstly recorded in “Shennong Bencaojing” and is a perennial parasitic herb belonging to the genus Cistanche and the family Orobanchaceae. Herba Cistanche, which is supported by absorbing the nutrients from the host plant, Red willow (Tamarix ramosissima) and distributed in dry areas such as deserts and barrens, is a valuable and rare herb. Ubiquinone (Q10), which primarily presents in the mitochondria of eukaryotes and acts as a coenzyme in the electron transport chain and thus participates in the aerobic respiration of cells, can promote the production of ATP to supply energy to cells. Ubiquinol (QH), which is a reduced form of ubiquinone (Q10), can be directly absorbed and utilized by human body without a conversion, and thus, has a higher bioavailability than that of ubiquinone (Q10).
Inventors of the present invention found a composition that is capable of providing an excellent effect on anti-fatigue, comprising a first component being a Cistanche tubulosa extract and a second component being ubiquinone (Q10) and/or ubiquinol (QH), wherein the weight ratio of the first component to the second component ranges from 0.67:1 to 10:1, and the composition can be used for at least one of treating chronic fatigue syndrome, preventing chronic fatigue syndrome, increasing endurance performance, increasing athletic ability, increasing physical strength, recovering physical strength, promoting fatigue elimination, preventing myocardial weakness, helping ameliorate cardiac weakness, and helping improve cardiac function. By using a combination of the aforementioned first component and second component, the present invention provides a composition with excellent effects on anti-fatigue under relative low manufacturing costs, and thus, has high economic benefits.